Page 4 - Presbyterian Connection

4 FALL 2024
PRESBYTERIAN
A Place
of Rich History and Significance
By the Rev. Christian Persaud, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Calgary, Alta.
It’s difficult to put some thoughts to words because when I think about my time in Israel and Pal- estine there is a sense of being overwhelmed by individuals’ sto- ries of pain and suffering, a post– World War II history of conflict in the region, a watershed moment of October 7, framed with present political ideology on one end and ancient biblical history on the other. And sometimes words are insufficient.
One of the challenges in speak- ing, listening or writing about Israel and Palestine is that there is so much emotional charge it’s hard to hear another perspec- tive without someone assuming you’re “anti this” or “pro that.” Many of us can think about Can- ada and the United States as hav- ing elected leaders, citizens and religious influence; we can speak about frustrations with politicians and governments as being sepa- rate from the people they lead, and the religious perspectives those people hold. But we often don’t see this with regard to Israel and Palestine. It seems there is a tendency to treat all Israelis as Jewish people with a democratic government, while all Palestin- ians are Muslims with a terrorist government. For whatever reason we lump them all together without the ability to think about the chil- dren, women, and men as being governed by people who are more focused on personal or political agendas than the well-being of their people.
I, like many others, have not paid much attention to Palestine and Israel before October 7, 2023, despite the long-standing relation- ships and repor ts that The Pres- byterian Church in Canada has shared for decades. I’m not in- formed enough to write about the history of Palestine and Israel, or its current politics, but something new for me was the suffering and persecution the Christian minority faces in the Jerusalem area.
Our group met with some indi- viduals with a connection to the Greek Orthodox community. They told us that during excavations they came across catacombs, mosaics and evidence of an early Christian presence. They were told to stop excavating and cover it up. The rationale behind this being that it interfered with Israeli desires for Jewish expansion in the area.
Gates and access to places in the Old City were fascinating to see as a first-time visitor. Some of the stones and gates are hun- dreds of years old, built upon layer and layer of history, from ancient Israel, to Rome, the Mid- dle Ages and the Ottoman period. There are several open gates into the Old City of Jerusalem, and the notable one that is closed is the Golden Gate, which has been sealed for over 400 years. In Jewish tradition, it is believed that the Messiah will enter Jerusalem through this gate.
It was jarring to go through the winding paths and alleys, built on ancient civilizations, and see barbershops, convenience stores and various shops, and a few minutes later seeing signs for the “Room of the Last Supper.” Go-
A portion of the separation barrier along the West Bank.
Connection
ing through the twists and turns of streets and walkways, it’s clear from seeing signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English, mindful of the Christian, Armenian, Jewish and Muslim quarters, that this is a place of rich history and signifi- cance for many peoples. Every- one wants their “piece” of it, and hopes to live in peace with it.
With such strong beliefs and symbolism in proximity, it’s un- derstandable there are concerns about access and safety. These are, however, sometimes mis- used to favour one group. When Pope John Paul II visited, the German Catholic Church was al- lowed to open the Zion Gate for the papal visit, but afterwards they were not allowed to close it. Previously, Christians used to come for funerals in the area, but after the gate remained open they were not allowed to bring cars in anymore. The general sentiment was that the Israeli authorities bar you from your own areas and open it for themselves.
It is becoming increasingly dif- ficult to practice and preserve a Christian identity in the area. For the first time in many years there was no permission given to go from Jerusalem to Bethlehem for Christmas, and vice versa for Easter. Despite a distance of less than 10 km, these holy cities for Christians are separated by more than barbed wire and checkpoints. Bethlehem, located in the West Bank, is behind a wall that reaches 8 meters high, with watchtowers
and a buffer zone. This was in place before October 7.
The Holy Fire is a special event on the day before Orthodox Easter that takes place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the site where some believe the tomb of Jesus was located. It is an occasion that draws Christians to the church—but this year was different. We heard from a Chris- tian, who was European, that there were many, many checkpoints over a small area to control the 3,000 Christians who gathered for this event. The Israeli police said they cannot maintain control when the streets are busy, despite the fact that 50,000 Jewish peo- ple were in the same area for a festival the week before. Chris- tians were treated violently, some punched by police, and were told they needed bracelets to attend their own church. No Palestinian Christians from Gaza or the West Bank attended this occasion, and despite their absence, the Chris- tians were still persecuted from worshipping freely.
We can spend time arguing about who’s right and wrong, we can become numb or enraged by the images on news, or debate what democracy and apartheid look like, but we can also try to look at what unites us rather than what divides us. One person our group met with said, “Be- ing considerate and concerned about other people’s problems is what makes us human.” Our first Judeo-Christian creation account tells us that humankind was made in God’s image. One way to un- derstand this is the relational as- pect of our Triune God (perichore- sis). It is extremely difficult not to feel aligned with one side or the other, to see one side as victims and the others as perpetrators, or those with power and those with- out, but when we lump everyone together, or dehumanize the other, we fall short of what God calls us to do.
less about the situation in Israel and Palestine. It seems too big of a challenge for one person on the other side of the world to do any- thing about. The issues seem too entrenched, too long-standing, political, religious, ideological, etc. One person who spoke with us shared that, “The only way to combat religious extremism is to give other options.” Perhaps we’re called to give other op- tions—not just supporting one government or the other, but helping people whose lives are affected the most. One priest we spoke with was quite frustrated with Western churches. There is a genuine fear that the Holy land will become like a museum—with sites and artifacts, but no people living there. While people are for- cibly disconnected and isolated from others, both physically and economically, with a constant threat of being persecuted, it is unfathomable to begin consider- ing how one carries on, but some still have hope.
As our own denomination wrestles with its colonial history, we know there can’t be peace and reconciliation without truth and understanding. Perhaps as we learn more about Canada’s history and the lives of people af- fected by actions of church and state, we will see the need to ad- vocate for peace in Jerusalem, in Israel and Palestine, before even greater harm is done.
presbyterian.ca
Support for Palestine
This year, the General Assembly approved the following support for work in Palestine: • $100,000 to support Gaza Food Relief (presbyterian.ca/pwsd)
• $50,000 be given to the Defence for Children International – Palestine
• $25,000 given to support the Olive Tree Campaign (presbyterian.ca/olive-tree)
To learn more about the church’s response to the situation in Gaza and the West Bank and to read statements written by churches and Palestinian partners visit presbyterian.ca/just-and-lasting-peace.
More often than not, I feel help-
Graffiti on the separation wall.